This invention relates generally to a foot sensor feedback device and, more particularly, this invention is directed to a foot sensor feedback device with five passive sensors in a shoe insole to provide real time feedback for a microprocessor to control a haptic device on the ankle of a person and to store and display data on an application on a smart phone.
The walking pattern or gait of a person is the movement of the limbs of the person, especially the legs of the person. The gait can be measured by body weight, center of body mass over the foot, number of steps in the gait cycle, cadence (speed of walking), and/or linear distance while walking.
A person who has suffered a stroke or a leg injury has to undergo rehabilitation to improve and regain a normal walking pattern or gait.
A stroke is a brain injury that can affect the ability of a person to feel parts of his/her body. A stroke occurs when blood supply to the brain is obstructed, causing an oxygen deprivation that kills brain cells, often leaving the victim with only partial brain function. This results in lost neural pathways, which typically impairs the motor skills for one half of the body. A stroke victim often needs to relearn how to use his/her body by rebuilding neural pathways. One of the most difficult tasks to relearn is walking.
The key behind walking rehabilitation for stroke patients is constant repetition. This enables them to eventually learn how to adjust their steps to properly distribute their weight. Stroke victims lack feeling in half of their body due to the lost neural pathways; thus, it is difficult for them to sense how distribute their weight on their feet. It becomes the physical therapist's job to guide the adjustments needed for each step. The process is further challenged by the fact that a fall can result in serious injury. Patients often attempt to walk as they had prior to their stroke, resulting in immediate loss of balance and eventually an incorrect walking gait. Other patients are reluctant to attempt to walk because they do not trust their limbs.
It is possible, with the correct therapy, for a stroke victim to relearn how to walk. However, this feat can take many physically exhausting years for the patient and also the physical therapist.
In observing their physical therapy sessions, the patient will typically be seen with their head down staring at their feet. This is due to the lack of trust they have in themselves and their bodies. Unfortunately, this behavior further harms their posture and balance.
A patient needs to properly load each step and have proper balance. It is crucial that the patient relearns to walk correctly or the chances of walking autonomously in the future are significantly hindered.
Currently, stroke rehabilitation is almost entirely through physical therapy sessions. Repetition of movement is key to rebuild the neural pathways lost in a stroke. However, it is not feasible for stroke victims to pay for daily physical therapy sessions; nor is it feasible for a physical therapist to constantly tend to a single patient.
In order to reduce walking rehabilitation time, stroke victims need a way to practice walking outside of therapy sessions. To do this, stroke victims need a system that can provide assurance that they have the proper step, balance and posture with their target foot, which is the role a physical therapist takes during sessions.
Some solutions to the problem offer complex mechanical designs, but these provide physical support for the leg rather than the type of feedback that can help a patient learn to perform the walking motion autonomously.
In addition to neurological stroke patients, physically injured leg patients also need to undergo rehabilitation to improve and regain a normal walking pattern or gait. The physical injuries can include breaking or bruising one or more leg bones, straining or tearing one or more leg muscles, realignment of bones and/or muscles, and generally weakened bones and/or muscles.
With the advanced capabilities of sensors and microprocessors currently available, there are many rehabilitation options to explore. The opportunity arises for a “smart” insole, utilizing sensors, wireless communication, and various forms of feedback to enable in-home therapy. By having the means to work with a familiar caretaker at home, stroke victims will be able to put in the needed repetition more often than before, while still receiving careful guidance.
A lower leg sensor device provides real time data about a person's walking or running in U.S. Pat. No. 9,114,296. The lower leg sensor device has a position angle sensor on the lower leg and a foot contact sensor. The sensors provide data on the angle of the lower leg and the line of gravity.
However, angle position of the leg to determine a walking pattern is not as effective as using the foot itself, specifically the body weight on the sole of the foot, to determine the walking pattern. Similarly, the measurement of the multiple factors of the walking pattern on the sole of the foot—body weight, center of body mass over the foot, number of steps in the gait cycle, cadence (speed of walking), and/or linear distance—is more effective than a single factor of the angle of the leg.
A portable activity monitoring device to calculate activity points of a person corresponding to physical activity of the person having an altitude sensor, a heart rate sensor and a motion sensor in a housing is in U.S. Pat. No. 9,113,823.
However, the patent invention is mounted on the foot, not under the sole.
The patent has additional sensors in additional body locations, rather than sensors on just the sole.
Again, the measurement of the multiple factors of the walking pattern on the sole of the foot—body weight, center of body mass over the foot, number of steps in the gait cycle, cadence (speed of walking), and/or linear distance—is more effective than measuring factors on the foot, not the sole of the foot.
The patent does not disclose an app or the explicit use of a smartphone.
A gyroscopic sensor under the foot of the person transmits angular velocity data to a remote person feedback device which emits a visual signal, an auditory signal, or a tactile signal in US Patent Application Number 20130041617. A second sensor may be an accelerometer, a pressure sensor, a force sensor, a temperature sensor, a chemical sensor, a global positioning system, a piezoelectric sensor, a rotary position sensor, a gyroscopic sensor, a heart-rate sensor, and a goniometer.
Again, the measurement of the multiple factors of the walking pattern on the sole of the foot—body weight, center of body mass over the foot, number of steps in the gait cycle, cadence (speed of walking), and/or linear distance—is more effective than different factors.
An insole with a vibrating device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,844,166. The vibrating device stimulates circulation of the blood in the foot to prevent accumulation of blood in the foot and to warm the foot. The device does not have a haptic device or a smart phone app and is not intended for walking rehabilitation of the leg.
Another patent is for an insole outfitted with pressure sensors that provide biofeedback to a patient for gait therapy in U.S. Pat. No. 7,191,644. This system does not provide the feedback to a mobile app for real-time adjustments.
Developing a device to assist walking rehabilitation is a difficult task because walking is such a complex process that is dependent on neurological feedback informing nuanced muscular responses. A system that assists walking rehabilitation must meet this inherent complexity. This complexity must be delivered by a solution that is person friendly, reliable, and durable.
The present invention is unique in that it identifies deviations from an ideal pressure distribution and provides feedback in real-time. Real-time feedback enables the patient to make the necessary adjustments for each step taken, simultaneously learning what a natural step feels like. The present invention will be used by the stroke victim at home, enabling the person to put in the necessary amount of time required to relearn to walk. Currently, stroke victims take years of physical therapy to make marginal gains, merely because the realistic frequency of physical therapy sessions does not provide enough repetitions.
There is currently no cost effective, user-friendly, product on the market to facilitate at-home walking rehabilitation. Additionally, no product on the market combines our intended methods of feedback into one app-centered solution.
It is an object of this invention to provide a passive foot sensor insole feedback device in a shoe insole to allow a person to improve their walking pattern in real-time.